Outdoor Warning Sirens

Outdoor Warning Sirens

The Town of Erie and Mountain View Fire Protection District (MVFPD) have partnered to provide an outdoor warning notification sirens for MVFPD's Station 6, located at Erie Parkway and Bonanza Drive in the Grandview neighborhood and South Erie Station 8 located in Vista Ridge.

The sirens match others in operation throughout Boulder County and augments the siren located on 111th Street in Lafayette, which services southwestern Erie. Coordination and testing of the county-wide network of outdoor sirens is managed by the Boulder Office of Emergency Management (BOEM). Activation of the sirens is controlled through the Boulder County Communications Center, which dispatches all emergency communications for the Town of Erie.

Emergency Outdoor Notification System

Sirens are an effective way to warn people who are outdoors of an imminent threat to safety.

The siren system is an all-hazard warning system used to alert citizens who are outdoors to potential danger. More than thirty outdoor warning sirens are in place across Boulder County. The sirens are located in Boulder, Longmont, Lafayette, Lyons, Eldorado Springs, Jamestown, Superior, Erie, and the University of Colorado at Boulder.

When a flood, tornado, or other disaster occurs, the sirens will sound. The sound and length of the signal may vary, depending on the situation.

The outdoor warning sirens are sounded only in the event of an emergency or during pre-announced tests. The sirens are activated through the Boulder County Sheriff’s Communications, Boulder Police and Fire Communications, and Longmont Police and Fire Communication centers.

Siren Tests

Sirens are tested regularly on the first Monday of each month from April through August. The two-minute tests are done at 10:00 am and 7:00 pm. The purpose of the two tests is to familiarize people who work and live in different places with the sirens. Additionally, it is important to make sure the sirens work property and to educate the public about what action to take when they hear the sirens.

When Sirens Sound

When you hear a siren, you should:

Tune in to radio stations KOA 850 AM, KBCO 1190 AM or 97.3 FM

Turn on local television news channels (2, 4, 7, 9 or 31) Listen for a voice message if you are near a voice activated siren

Refrain from calling 911

If an emergency has occurred, information about the situation and what to do will be available.

Note: Outdoor warning sirens may not be heard inside buildings. They are primarily intended to warn persons in outdoor areas.

It is estimated that about 50% of the public can hear a siren on a still day. During heavy rains or stormy weather, the percentage of people who hear a warning siren is greatly reduced because of the noise associated with the storm, and because more people are indoors.